A Friend In Need
by Dozen and One Stars
Summary: A oneshot dedicated to LightEcoSage. Jak shut his eyes with the hopes that maybe he could block out the chatty fur ball. He had no such luck. Daxter’s tongue kept on flapping. For the most part he had managed to ignore most of what he said until…


**Disclaimer: I do not own Jak and Daxter.**

**A/N:** I'm curious as to the response I'll get for this story. I wrote it as a response to a challenge set up by Light- Eco- Sage. I think I covered all the requirements. If nothing else I'm a sucker for a good challenge.

Also this particular challenge is not available anymore. I was a little late in getting it up...okay really late. But better late then never, right?

**BTW:** Leric is an original character made up to inspire conflict.

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"You pig- headed, egotistical, slim ball! I want you out of my sight!"

Jak could hear Keira's shouts from the beach he was lying on. Sitting upright he tossed a confused look to his right. Daxter was dead to the world beside him. How anyone could sleep through the noise was beyond him. If she wasn't yelling at him then who was she yelling at?

He sat there for a few more minuets before curiosity got the better of him. Standing up he patted the sand off his pants and headed for Keira's garage. The sight that met him was a comical one to say the least.

Crouched down behind a barrel was a young man Jak recognized as Leric. He had just recently moved in and from small village gossip he was quite the ladies man. Before him and looking rather dangerous at the moment was Keira.

"Can't you take a hint? I want you gone!" You could practically feel the rage radiating off her as she brandished a wrench while she spoke.

"Now honey-" Leric attempted speech from his cover spot.

"Say that again and I swear you won't have children."

He visibly paled at that last statement. "I'm sure you don't mean that, darling. If you just calm down enough to-"

"I am calm! You don't want to see me when I'm angry. Now I believe I told you to leave so get up and get a move on."

"Sweetie-"

"Can't it penetrate through your thick skull that I'm not interested in you? Go find some other girl to torment. I'm sure there's some brain dead female out there willing to take you in." It was apparent that Keira was on her last nerve. If Leric didn't shut up and get out of there quick he would be carried out on a stretcher.

"But I love you!"

"Frankly, my dear," She said the last two words with obvious sarcasm. "I don't give a damn."

"So, that's it then. Just like that it's over. You're willing to give up on us?" Leric seemed to be living in his own little delusional word.

"There was never an us to begin with! I can't give up an something that never existed!"

Leric suddenly noticed Jak's presence. Narrowing his eyes he asked accusingly, "It's because of him isn't it? You won't accept me because you've fallen head over heels with some backwater hick!"

Those words and who they were directed to was enough to snap Keira's last nerve in two. The only thing that was keeping her from physically assaulting Leric was Jak, who currently had his arms wrapped around her waist. Even though she knew that there was no way she was going anywhere unless he let go it didn't stop her from trying.

Jak blocked out the noise that Keira was making and made eye contact with Leric. Then he tossed her over his shoulder and carried her towards the beach, though not with out protest from the young mechanic.

Leric didn't try to stop the young man who had whisked away the love of his life. He couldn't bring himself to. There was something in that look he gave. A commanding air. He hadn't said a word but they weren't needed. The message was clear. Back off. And that's what he did.

"Jak! Put me down this instant." When he continued, as she if had never spoken she started squirming. "You banana yellow spiked headed lug! I demand to be released! Are you listening to me? Put me down!"

He simply glanced behind him to make sure she was all right. "Come on, I promise not to kill the guy. Look all calm."

He wasn't letting go so she resorted to bribery. "I'll make you chocolate chip cookies. Come on you know I make the best on the island. Stop treating me like a sack of potatoes and I'll make them just for you!"

Jak simply continued on his merry way, they were almost there anyway.

Keira decided that since the cookie bribe hadn't worked that she might as well enjoy the journey. So giving up her struggles she accepted her fate and was quiet the rest of the way. Soon enough they arrived at the spot Jak was at earlier. Being careful so that he wouldn't hurt her, Jak placed Keira on the ground.

"Geez, it's about time you showed up! You nearly gave me a heart attack when you disappeared like that!" Daxter yelled from his spot on the ground.

Jak merely shrugged at his friend's antics and took a seat in the sand.

Keira took a few steps back and once she was confidant that her friend wasn't going to carry her off she continued her little rant from earlier. "Jak if you ever and I mean ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll make sure you couldn't have kids if you wanted them. Do you hear what I'm saying?"

Jak nodded.

"While we're on the subject I can't believe you carried me through the village like I was some prize you won! Do you have any idea on how mortifying that was! How would you feel if I tossed you on my shoulder and carried you around for everyone to see?" Keira didn't miss the twitch his lips made or the way his eyebrows raised slightly. "Not another word!"

"He didn't say anything." Daxter pointed out.

"But I knew what he was thinking." Keira retorted. "He was thinking how laughable the idea of me parading through the village with him over my shoulder was. Can you tell honestly me that those weren't your thoughts?"

It was a little scary how on the dot her accusation was.

"That's what I thought. Now I'm going back to my workshop." Keira was up and was about to head back. "That zoomer isn't going to fix itself, you know."

Jak watched Keira until she was well into the village then letting out a sigh he flopped onto his back and stared at the clear blue sky. Leric's words came back to him. He could practically hear them. Was there any truth behind them? Was it possible that she liked him as much as he liked her?

He was so busy reminiscing that he missed the fact that Daxter was staring at him.

Daxter never considered himself the sharpest crayon in the box. In fact if you asked around people would describe him as air headed, clumsy, and an all around troublemaker. What they couldn't deny was that for some strange reason he and Jak were the best of friends. That alone gave him enough brains and common sense to tell him when something was up with his friend.

And boy was something up.

"Hitting on the ladies there, eh Jakkie-boy?" Daxter commented in a suggestive tone as he nudged his friend.

The look Jak sent to the furry loud mouth clearly stated that if he valued life to shut up now. Too bad for him Daxter was never one to follow warnings and orders.

"Really if wanted to know how to swoon the ladies you should have came to me. I'm an expert when it comes to feminine side of the gene pool."

Jak made a very poor attempt of turning his laugh into a cough.

"Laugh all you want lover boy but I'll have you know that the chicks dig the fur. But enough about me."

Jak raised an eyebrow at that statement. There really is a fist time for everything. "Let's talk about your love life. Wait. Let me rephrase the. Let's talk about how you're the teenage savior of the world that has no love life."

Jak narrowed his eyes.

"Don't try to deny it. You have no girlfriend. You've never been on a date. You've never been kissed..." Daxter paused for a moment as what he said registered in his little brain. "Wow, you're even worse off than I thought!"

Jak shut his eyes with the hopes that maybe he could block out the chatty fur ball. He had no such luck. Daxter's tongue kept on flapping. For the most part he had managed to ignore most of what he said until…

"Heck even Keira has more of a love life than you. Which is scary considering how much time she spends in that workshop of hers. The only time she doesn't work is when she's sleeping and she's managed to gather suitors."

At this our hero's eyes flew open and he was standing upright faster than you could say eco. The look in his eyes was a mix of shock, confusion, and panic. Each emotion was balancing the other two out.

Daxter nearly jumped out of his skin at his buddy's quick movement. Looking up at him he could read the question on the tip of his tongue. "Of coarse she has suitors, dumbbell. How could she not? I mean have you seen the way she looks in that little…"

Even someone with the brain the size of a poppy seed recognizes when to shut up. Daxter tended to ignore the warning signals and continue with his thoughts. But this situation caused him to shut his mouth and switch subjects.

Maybe it was the fact he cared for his friend's feelings. Maybe he realized how vulgar and shallow he sounded and decided to turn a new leaf. Maybe it was the fact that it he completed his statement –best friend or not- he wasn't going to live long enough to be changed back to normal. Who really knows?

"Look all I'm saying is that Keira isn't as sheltered as you think." A light bulb suddenly turned on. "You like her!"

The world was never quieter. Ever.

Daxter slapped his forehead with his paw. "How could I have possibly missed that? I can't believe I didn't notice! Why didn't you tell me!"

Jak shrugged.

"To think of all the time you've wasted! If you had told me sooner I could have helped you! We have so much to cover in so little time…" Daxter continued his ramblings while Jak attempted to will the ground in swallowing him whole.

It wasn't too long after that did he feel two small hands try and fail to put him on his feet. Turning his head he was only mildly surprised to find Daxter digging his feet in the ground and his arms shaking with the effort of pushing him up. He had never seen him put so much effort into anything.

"Get up you big lug. I don't have time to teach you the tricks of the trade so your going to have to tell Keira how you feel on your own." Daxter didn't miss how wide Jak's eyes had gotten. "Don't give me that look! Get off your lazy ass and sweet talk her before some other good- looking guy steals her away."

That last comment had stunned Jak into standing up. It took a few more hard shoves to get him moving in the right direction but he eventually took the hint and headed for Keira's garage. As he walked away he waved his thanks over his shoulder.

Each step he took added another butterfly fluttering in his stomach. By the time he got to his destination they were during tricks and flips leaving him with a nervous feeling in his gut. Bu there was no turning back now. If he didn't talk to Keira now he would surly have to do it later. Now that the ottsel was out of the bag, Daxter wasn't going to stop until he came through.

Jak took one final deep breath before walking up to Keira, who was crawling under the table. He judged by the curses she was grumbling that she had dropped an important piece under there. To get her attention he gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Keira jumped at the sudden contact and banged her head against the underside of the table. Her hands flew to where a bump was forming. "Ow! That hurt!"

Well if that wasn't ominous.

Jak offered an apologetic smile and gingerly helped her to her feet. Once she was standing upright she leaned against her workbench. Keira gave him a halfhearted smile. "Would it kill you to make a little noise?"

Her only answer was a small shrug.

Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted the piece she had dropped earlier. Bending over she picked it up and held it towards the sky triumphantly. "Hah! I found you! So what is it you wanted, Jak?"

As he shifted his feet Keira raised an eyebrow. Interesting. It wasn't everyday she saw shy and embarrassed Jak. What could be wrong?

"Spit it out already."

Jak stopped his shifting Meeting her gaze he attempted speech several times before succeeding. Yes he has regained a voice but preferred to stay silent most of the time. He had lived most of his life not saying a word and it was more of a habit than anything. Besides he had turned out fine with out speech so there wasn't ever a reason to really talk.

"Sorry." At her confused look he elaborated. "You know… for embarrassing you early. I just… wanted you away from that guy."

Keira blinked once before letting out a small laugh. "That's all? It's no big deal, really. You had me worried for a minuet there. From the way you were acting I would have guessed you were going to propose or something."

"Actually I wanted to ask you if you'd like to go on a walk with me." Seeing her skeptical look he quickly added. "Just me and you. No Daxter. So what do you say?"

"That sounds nice. Let me grab my jacket first."

It wasn't long before the two teens were heading for the outskirts of the village, past the old man's hut, up the grassy steps until they reached the edge of the Forbidden Jungle. With the area deserted of lurkers the place was quit beautiful. The fisherman was gone for the night and so they sat on the bridge above his normal spot, legs dangling over the side.

They sat there in a comfortable silence as they watched the sunset and the moonrise. Keira wasn't aware of the fact that Jak kept glancing over at her.

"Keira." Jak's voice broke the silence.

She tilted her head so she could look at him. "Yeah?"

"Do you like me?"

Well that was out of the blue and rather blunt at that. "What kind of question is that? Of coarse I like you."

Jak shook his head. "I'm not talking friendship like. I'm talking about love like."

"Oh, that kind of like." Keira sighed. "Yeah I do."

Jak was dumbfounded back into silence for a few minuets before his brain confirmed that he wasn't hearing things. Once the shock wore of the happiness and surprise took over. "Really? For how long?"

"Oh, geez." Keira sighed. Lifting her hand she raked it through her short hair. "It's been so long. I can't remember when I first realized it."

Well whatever he was expecting it sure wasn't that.

"How about you?" Keira asked when he didn't say anything in return. "What are your feelings on the subject? Throw me a bone here."

Jak thought carefully about how to approach the subject. He didn't want to scare her off after hearing that. Things were a lot simpler when he couldn't speak. "I feel the same."

"You do?" That was a surprising turn of events.

He nodded. "Yeah. I do."

They sat there in awkward silence for what seemed like forever. Just as Jak was about to speak up Keira burst into laughter. He could feel his face heat up. As she continued laughing he scratched the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. Was confessing their feelings really that funny?

It took a while but he full blown laughter eventually died down to lighthearted chuckled which eventually smothered into a case of the giggles. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose it like that."

"Is it really that funny?" Jak asked as he stared at his feet. "Us liking each other?"

"No it a dream come true but you gotta think about this from my view." Keira ran a hand through her hair as she turned to look at him. "We've known each other for like ever and we've been crushing on each other for almost as long. Just think of all that time we wasted by living in fear of rejection."

He let out a smile. "Yeah I guess it is kind of funny when you put it that way."

"So… what do we do now?" The young mechanic asked as she stared up into the now starry sky.

Jak gathered up all of his courage to do what he considered the boldest move of his life. He moved so he had an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. "I guess we start making up for lost time."

As soon as the words left his mouth he wanted to smack himself. How lame did that sound? Even if it was the truth he could have done better that that!

Though all those thoughts were quickly forgotten as Keira leaned in closer. "Sounds good to me."

Not wanting to ruin the moment with fumbled up words he just placed a kiss on the top of her head. They both sat there in a romantic silence as they watched the waves crash against the shore. It really was a beautiful night.

Unbeknownst to the new couple Daxter was lurking in some nearby bushes dutifully taking photo after photo with a camera he had swiped off of Keira's workbench.

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